Woman lifters Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (48kg) and Khumukcham Sanjita Chanu (53kg) on Tuesday won gold medals in the Commonwealth weightlifting championships in Gold Coast to qualify for the Commonwealth Games next year.

Mirabai (snatch 85kg (new record), clean and jerk 104kg, total 189kg) and Sanjita (85kg, 110kg, 195kg) were among several other medal winners in various categories across senior, junior and youth sections.

For the first time lifters were required to qualify for the Commonwealth Games. Earlier, a National federation was free to field two lifters per weight category in the games.

According to an ‘athlete allocation system’ issued by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), in order to protect the interest of smaller nations, enable the participation of best athletes and put in place a transparent system, gold medallists of this year’s Commonwealth championships would qualify for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

It also stipulated that each country can field only one lifter in each weight and a maximum of 16 (eight for men and as many for women).

The top 12 ranked lifters (excluding those who have qualified) in each weight by October 31 will also qualify.

The home nation can field one athlete in every weight category. One each may also be allocated on the basis of invitation from the IWF or the Commonwealth Games Federation.

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